In this article we show you the professional courses that lead to permanent residence in Australia. For any more detailed information, contact our agents.

Migration programs leading to permanent residency are varied and diverse in nature.

Some, such as family ones, rely on the relationship the applicant has with an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

Others, instead, are based on the skills that an applicant is able to demonstrate.

The system is structured around the Skilled Occupation List. Better known as the list of sponsorable occupations, this list of professions presents all the tasks that allow not only to work and attract high salaries in Australia, but also to remain there by virtue of migration programs.

This list divides the professions based on how much need there is for them in Australia and is divided into three sections:

a) Medium-Long Term List

The professions containing the acronym MLTSSL are those for which the Department of Home Affairs has identified the most acute shortage. These types of professions are the ones that have the greatest number of migratory programs available and also the fastest ones, such as independent visas 189 or even sponsor visas expressed as the 186 Direct Entry. It is very important for the purposes of this article to bear in mind that professional study programs receive post-study visas only if the course is related to one of the professions in this category.

b) Short-Term List

The professions cataloged under the heading of ‘STSOL’ are still in shortage, but the Department, as the name suggests, expects them to be in shortage for a minor period of time. These professions can be sponsored in urban areas only for temporary periods while they obtain permanent residence through state Skilled-type programs (such as the 190 program) and therefore on the basis of lists that the states publish and which are different from the federal Skilled Occupation List (each state has its own list).

c) Regional Employment List

Regional professions can lead to permanent residence in neighbouring territories of the nation. The procedure is not faster or simpler, on the contrary, it is longer than the professions mentioned above, but the peculiarity lies in the inclusion of professions that are not generally available in the other two lists.

Studying for permanent residency

People who have already acquired the relevant qualifications and work experience can access, more or less directly, migration programs compatible with the profession they identified.* It is different for very young people or of people who have not yet given a specific direction to their professional profile. An idea that often comes up is to study something that satisfies two needs: that of learning a remunerative job and that of finding one that is compatible with permanent migratory programs.

As explained in this article, with very few exceptions such as nursing, teaching and social sciences studied in Australia, most migration programs require not only an educational qualification, but also experience related to the qualification obtained. In this regard, the post-study visa (formally called Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate) is essential as it is specifically designed to allow students to:

• gain post-qualification experience
• complete the Job Ready Program (a government pathway for entering the world of work)

How to choose the course leading to the residency?

As explained before, however, three rules must be kept in mind when it comes to professional courses:

• post-study visas are reserved exclusively for study courses whose exit profession is classified in the Medium-Long Term List (MLTSSL). An example: since the job as a Chef is included in the MLTSSL list and the Restaurant Manager is not, studying cooking allows you to obtain a post-study visa while studying service does not allow it.
• The second rule to keep in mind for professional courses is that the post-study visa is only possible for those courses that are not categorised as Skill Level 1, i.e. requiring a university degree. Another example: tiling is a profession classified as Skill Level 3, therefore, according to the government, a professional course is sufficient to be considered qualified. Conversely, the Construction Manager is listed as Skill Level 1, so they need a degree. In this case, a practical tiler course allows for a post-study visa, while a professional course in construction (which exists) does not allow it (a degree is required).
• Finally, post-study visas for professional courses are granted only if the course of study has a minimum duration of 2 years (92 weeks).

Now that it’s all the rules, let’s see the professional courses that can lead you to permanent residence.

Cheffing in Australia to get permanent residency

Commercial cooking

These type of courses reflect the role of the Chef (ANZSCO classification #131111).

Among the types of courses that guarantee the right to post-study visas, they are those that can cost the least (the courses start at $7,000 a year, and last two years). Courses are found quite easily throughout the country and work in this industry is easily found.

Read more: study cooking in Australia

Work in construction to get permanent residency

Building

This area includes a whole series of highly specialised courses such as:

a) Carpentry

b) Tilers 

c) Plumbers

d) Plasterboard workers

e) Decorators

f) Masons

Based on the chosen specialisation it is more or less easy to find courses in certain areas.

Compared to cooking classes, annual prices tend to average $10,000-12,000.

There is a lot of work in Australia as this nation is in perpetual construction.

Read more: https://www.atlasmigration.com/edilizia/ and also https://www.atlasmigration.com/idraulica/

Welders and maintenance technicians

This category of professionals are able to obtain very high salaries once they have obtained permanent residence.

The corresponding profession in Australia is that of Welder and/or Metal Fabricator.

The price per year of these courses averages around $11,000 but they are not easy to find except in big cities.

Learn more: https://www.atlasmigration.com/saldatura/ and also https://www.atlasmigration.com/meccanica-civile-ed-industriale/

Electricians

There is a strong demand for electricians but a great shortage of these courses.

As of January 2022, in fact, the only institution licensed to accept international students for the Certificate III in Electrotechnology Technician is located near Sydney, New South Wales, and the course costs around AUD $25,000. The earning prospects are very high once you have obtained a full license as an electrician.

Read more: Study electrical engineering in Australia

Air conditioning technicians

Their training is very similar to that of electricians and the courses are similarly priced.

Here too we find it difficult to find institutions licensed for international students: there are currently six of them.

Read more: become a technician for heating systems

Mechanics

It is possible to qualify as a mechanic in several specialisations:

a) diesel engine technician

b) general mechanic

c) auto electrician

d) heavy vehicle mechanic

Courses have an average annual price of AUD $25,000 and are easily found.

The problem, for Italians, results in a more difficult integration into the working context, even after study, as there is competition from Anglophone and pro-English migration (such as the countries of northern-central Europe).

Read more: Study automotive mechanics in Australia

Contact Maurice Bisaccia for a consultation to find out which course is the right one for you!